Zhang, the maker of classics such as "Red Sorghum" and "Raise the Red Lantern", won best director for the film inspired by traditional ink-brush painting which also bagged three technical awards.

"I've made movies for 40 years and this is my first Golden Horse (best) director nomination. I want to thank the jury for giving me the award," Zhang said at the ceremony at Taipei's Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall.

"Shadow" led the race with 12 nominations including best film but lost the coveted prize to "An Elephant Sitting Still" directed by Hu Bo, who died last year aged 29 in Beijing.

Hu also won best adapted screenplay for his first and last film -- a nearly four-hour-long story about four struggling small characters based on his novel.

"I want to thank the jury and the audience again," his mother told the crowd after she accepted the best film statuette for him.

China's 29-year-old filmmaker Bi Gan lost best director to Zhang for his 3D drama "Long Day's Journey Into Night", which collected best cinematography, best sound effects and best original film score.